While PLO Executive Committee Secretary-General Yasser Abed Rabbo said the Quartet would set benchmarks for talks, he also predicated 'serious' negotiations on several maximalist PA preconditions. Notably, borders based on the 1949 armistice lines, minimal land-exchange, and no population transfer.

Abed Rabbo maintained, however, that if the PA was unhappy with its gains during talks with Israel it would still seek an imposed solution by the United Nations. This, effectively, would mean Israel would be negotiating at the point of a PA gun.

Abed Rabbo added, United Nations were to confer statehood on the PA, their first move would be to ask the international community to force Israel to withdraw its military forces from PA territories.

The PA's insourciant position vis-a-vis talks and strong-arm tactics before even sitting down with Israeli negotiators appears based on their confidence in obtaining international support.

"The vast majority of influential countries, including European countries, will recognize the state of Palestine," Abed Rabbo told Al Hayyat.

Echoing PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas' rejection of a third Intifada, Abed Rabbo maintained the PLO would would rely on 'international law' to accomplish their goals.

However, many international observers question whether or not a Palestinian Authority state, which would be dependent on Israel for the development of independent infrastructure and economy, would be able to succeed without Israel's consent.